1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an IC carrier for carrying an IC thereon so as to be loaded on a socket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, an IC carrier is used as means for protecting, transporting and storing an IC. In a test for discriminating defective IC from non-defective IC, the IC carrier carrying an IC thereon is loaded on an IC socket so that contact elements of the IC are brought into electrical connection with contacts of the IC socket.
However, the conventional IC carrier had the following problem. That is, when the IC carrier carrying an IC thereon is loaded on the socket, the contacting points of the IC are frequently readily displaced from the corresponding contacts of the socket and therefore, a reliable electrical connection is unobtainable between each contacting point and contact. This problem is particularly serious for an IC of a miniature size having a number of contact elements in a dense arrangement.
The miniature-sized thin IC of the type outlined above requires very careful handling when the IC is loaded on the carrier because the IC is readily damaged during the operation of loading onto the carrier.